Best Austin Burgers 2013

21 thick, juicy burgers you’ll want to sink your teeth into

By John T. Davis and Layne Lynch

Published: April 2, 2013

Photography by Sean Johnson

As the weather heats up, it’s only natural to feel the need to eat a huge, tasty burger while sitting on a patio in the sunshine. Luckily, Austin is full of places to do just that. In the following pages, you’ll find 24 of the very best burgers in town, from gourmet to down-home to non-beef varieties. Whatever you’re craving, there’s something for you on this list.

Casino El Camino: The Pitts burger, $8.25
When Sixth Street dive bar Casino El Camino started searing 12-ounce, local Angus on a 4-foot-long, 2 1/2-foot-wide seasoned grill, the succulent rounds quickly became a favorite among a small circle of night owls. Yet once word got around about the handmade gems, booze took a backseat to the nearly 800-1,000 patties sold each week. “After we were featured on The Food Network in 2008, things blew up. Nowadays, you’ll probably have to wait a while when you order a Casino burger, but no one ever regrets it,” says owner Paul Eighmey. Grab a seat at this dark parlor surrounded by outlandish relics and artwork, and chow down on quirky topping combos, including The Pitts burger, which features smoky provolone cheese, caramelized yellow onions, rich sherry-sauteed white domestic mushrooms, classic A1 sauce and a local bun from The New World Bakery. Have a napkin handy, because there will be juices and sauce aplenty dripping down your chin. 517 E. Sixth St., 469-9330, casinoelcamino.net

Phil’s Icehouse: Mini burger sampler basket, $7.50
These patties may be petite, but their flavor is full-sized. The three mini burgers each feature different toppings, making the sampler perfect for folks who like variety. The Rosedale drips with sweet and tangy mesquite barbecue sauce paired with pickles and cheddar cheese on a sourdough bun, while The Crestview has everything you love about a chili-cheese dog in burger form. The Violet Crown packs a punch with a bleu cheese patty that’s topped with bleu cheese crumbles in between a jalapeño cheese bun. “The sampler basket is a combination of our three favorite burgers,” says owner Amy Simmons. “Sometimes you just can’t decide.” 5620 Burnet Road, 524-1212; 2901 S. Lamar blvd., 707-8704; philsicehouse.com

Hopdoddy: Ahi tuna burger, $12
On a typical weekend lunch rush, burger fiends wait in an hour-long line before getting their hands on a Hopdoddy burger. For those who bemoan the odyssey, never forget: Tantalizing patties and fragrant, fresh-baked buns await you inside. An average of 1,000 burgers are sold each day at the South Congress location, but beef burgers only comprise about 60 percent of those sales. The other 40 percent are creative riffs like the Ahi tuna burger, made up of six ounces of ground sushi-grade yellowfin tuna with punch-packed wasabi spread, sunflower sprouts, house-made sweet teriyaki sauce, aioli mayonnaise, tempura-battered nori seaweed and palate-cleansing pickled ginger on top of house-baked, pillowy brioche. Salt, pepper, two 30-second sears on an olive oil–brushed grill, and you’ve got the mouth-watering burger. “We’re always thinking outside the box in terms of the proteins we want to feature,” co-founder Larry Foles says. “In this case, we don’t have to do much to the tuna burger. It’s a quality fish that really speaks for itself.” 1400 S. Congress Ave., 243-7505; 2438 W. Anderson Lane, 467-2337; hopdoddy.com

Austin Java Cafe and Coffeehouse: The Ladybird, $8.19
There are a host of succulent all-American beef burgers in town, but the luscious Ladybird at Austin Java puts most of those bovines to shame. The 5.3-ounce moist turkey patty is crowned in silky avocado, mild cheddar cheese, thick slices of Roma tomato, crisp purple-and-green spring mix and dry-toasted wheat buns. Poultry burgers are notorious for drying out, but the top-secret seasoning allows this bird burger’s meat juices to survive the charbroiler’s fiery wrath. “We designed our menu to be a bit more adventurous with its burgers,” says co-owner Mark Turner. “The Ladybird fits the whole alternative lifestyle Austin is known for, and it’s funny because a lot of hardcore beef eaters actually end up loving this burger.” 1608 Barton Springs Road, 482-9450; 301 W. Second St., 481-9400; 1206 Parkway, 476-1829; austinjava.com

Mulberry: Hamburger with pancetta, GruyÈre, tomato and egg, $14
There are prim-and-proper burgers, and then there are gluttonous ones. Mulberry features both. The delicate, foie gras–laced FoieBerry is something Kate Middleton would probably order. The fan-favorite hamburger is another story. Black pepper, pink and black peppercorns, rubbed sage and Worcestershire are mixed into house-ground 7.5-ounce patties that are then cooked in a scorching skillet. Topped off with salty Gruyère, locally sourced spinach and tomato, crispy pancetta, a soupy fried egg and Easy Tiger Bake Shop rolls, this burger is downright carnal. “Our two burgers are like apples and oranges,” Executive Chef Kristine Kittrell says. “They’re both very popular, but if you’re feeling indulgent, go with the hamburger.” 360 Nueces St., 320-0297, mulberryaustin.com

The Jackalope : Chipotle bacon cheeseburger, $6.49 for big; $7.49 for huge
While he was saving up money by waiting tables and working late-night bartending shifts, The Jackalope owner Jason Burton concocted his bar’s signature flavorful burgers over patio grills with co-workers and cold brew. Growing up working at Hut’s Hamburgers and eating at local haunts such as Top Notch Hamburgers, Burton knew what belonged on his bar menu: burgers that paid homage to the city he called home. “I wanted to tie The Jackalope burgers to what I remembered about growing up with well-balanced, simple burgers that didn’t take themselves too seriously,” he says. Since opening in 2004, the dive bar and restaurant has become quite the hangout, with nearly 100,000 burgers selling each year. Venture in on Wednesdays for two-for-one burger night and try the flame-grilled chipotle bacon cheeseburger—which just happens to be the delicious-looking burger featured on the opening spread of this feature—a hand-formed, high-quality patty topped with smoky chipotle pimento cheese, crunchy bacon, tangy chipotle mayonnaise and butter–toasted buns. It’ll give you that perfect nostalgic feeling. 404 E. Sixth St., 472-3663, jackalopebar.com

Counter Cafe: Counter burger, $11 with side; $8 À la carte
From the outside, Counter Cafe looks like a quintessential greasy-spoon diner. But don’t let the vintage Coca-Cola sign and faded yellow picnic tables fool you. There’s a celebrity inside, and he goes by the name of “Burger.” The Counter Burger has quite literally become a hot commodity since being named the second best burger in the state by Texas Monthly in 2009, when the North Lamar restaurant was only 2 years old. The cafe now sells an average of 600 burgers each week. “After we made that list, it honestly scared me to death because burgers are so subjective,” says co-owner Debbie Davis. “But people tell me all the time we make a darn good burger.” If you think preparing this beefy treasure requires a top-secret method and fancy ingredients, you’re wrong. An open flame, six ounces of 85/15 hand-pressed Niman ground beef, white cheddar cheese, ripe local tomatoes, organic Bibb lettuce and sweet buns from a Houston bakery get the job done. “I tell everyone it’s not rocket science,” Davis says. “It’s the quality of what you put into the burger that determines what you get out of it.” 626 N. Lamar Blvd., 708-8800, countercafe.com

Nau’s Enfield Drug: Bacon burger, $4.75 for small; $5.75 for large
Not much has changed at Nau’s Enfield Drug in Clarksville since the business opened in 1951. The shop’s horseshoe-shaped vintage soda fountain and grill counter is adorned with nostalgia and surrounded by a well-seasoned flat-top and fiercely loyal patrons. And it’s no wonder why. The bacon burger, a quarter pound of local Long Horn Meat Market’s double-ground beef, dressed with shredded lettuce, bright tomato slices, seared Boar’s Head or meat market bacon and a classic sesame seed bun, is a burger that transcends the decades. The old-school burgers require the shop to order an average of 210 pounds of beef per week to keep up with customer demand. “There are a lot of fancy burgers out there, but people come out here when they want the real deal,” assistant manager John Urvano says. Indeed. 1115 W. Lynn St., 476-3663, nausdrug.com

The Peached Tortilla: The JapaJam, $6.46
Eric Silverstein’s Yumé Burger met its untimely demise in 2012, but two of the truck’s menu items, the JapaJam burger and the Yumé Dog, endured and found a second life in Silverstein’s other venture: The Peached Tortilla food trailer. “People really enjoyed the flavor profile and texture consistency of the JapaJam burger, so I felt like it belonged on the Peached menu,” he says. Inspired by a popular Japanese burger concept, the JapaJam is equal parts sweet and savory. Fashioned from six ounces of local Johnny G’s Meat Market beef, the burger is topped with smoky, housemade tomato jam, a gooey fried egg, jalapeño jack cheese, Real Ale–battered tempura onion strings, tangy barbecue sauce and soft buns from Sweetish Hill Bakery. In an industry that’s plagued with purist burgers, the Asian-infused JapaJam delivers a welcome serving of pragmatism. Location changes daily, 222-8781, thepeachedtortilla.com

Dirty Martin’s: O.T. Special, $6.50
Dirty’s (aka Dirty Martin’s, Martin’s Kum-Bak, etc.) has been a fixture on The Drag since 1926, thanks in no small part to its traditionalist approach to drive-in hamburgers. In fact, the name comes from the original dirt floors in the place—talk about old school. The O.T. Special (the O.T. is for Old Timers), a double-meat bacon cheeseburger with mayo, lettuce and tomato, could make a cardiologist weep, especially when paired with the delicious homemade onion rings. But, lord, it’s good. “We’ve never deviated from the recipes we started with,” says general manager Arturo Apodaca. “It’s nothing fancy, just consistency.” 2808 Guadalupe St., 477-3173, dirtymartins.com

Foreign & Domestic: Wagyu burger, $19
It wouldn’t be difficult to sing praises of Foreign & Domestic’s signature burger, but with ingredients like these, it’s best to let them speak for themselves. First, there’s the 12 ounces of tender HeartBrand wagyu beef, then aged Maytag Dairy Farms’ bleu cheese, crispy pork belly, in-house–smoked tomato jam and cloud-soft English muffins from renowned Pastry Chef Jodi Elliott. When the gourmet burger arrives at patrons’ tables, all manners fall by the wayside as their faces bury into this meaty marvel. It’s tough to justify spending nearly $20 for a burger, but the food coma that patrons endure for hours afterwards will make them forget about the Jefferson they just dropped. 306 E. 53rd St., 459-1010, fndaustin.com

East Side Show Room: Grassfed Blue burger, $14
This popular East Austin hangout features a locally sourced burger that is basically a delivery system for a hefty slathering of pungent, creamy Maytag bleu cheese. “I needed a pub burger that was European in style,” says Executive Chef Paul Hargrove. The burger itself, made up of natural beef from a ranch in New Mexico or from Bastrop when available, features bleu cheese and pickled red onions and is a minimalist’s delight. Bonus: It’s accompanied by thin, rosemary-sage shoestring fries. A locally sourced fried egg is an enticing additional option for $2. If you’ve ever wanted to have a decadent burger in a 1920s European bistro with an Absinthe cocktail on the side, the East Side Show Room is your place. 1100 E. Sixth St., 467-4280, eastsideshowroom.com

Hut’s hamburgers: The Wolfman Jack, $6.95
Walking into Hut’s Hamburgers is like stepping into an Archie comic book. There’s a retro purity to both the decor (pennants for the Baltimore Colts and L.A. Rams—both departed—still hang from the ceiling) and the food. The Wolfman Jack, a bacon and green chile cheeseburger, originated with a former partner in the joint who discovered a similar sandwich in Boulder, Colo. In this case, the cool tang of the sour cream, an alternative to the usual mustard or mayo, is a nice counterpoint to the bite of the chopped chiles. The patty comes courtesy of Johnny G’s Meat Market on Manchaca Road, says owner Mike Hutchinson. You’ll enjoy every tangy, creamy bite. Now the only question is whether to ask Betty or Veronica to the prom. 807 W. Sixth St., 472-0693, hutsfrankandangies.com

Jasper’s: Lonestar tenderloin/brisket bacon burger, $15
This burger is a gloriously messy embarrassment of riches, a guilty pleasure that marries homemade Ancho barbecue sauce, apple-smoked bacon, Shiner Bock–braised onions and pepper jack cheese, all on a nice chewy bun from Kraftsmen Baking in Houston. Kent Rathbun, executive chef and proprietor, says the burgers are cooked over a wood-fired grill for extra flavor, which fits in with the glossy Domain steakhouse’s decor, and the meat (from Texas and Chicago) is a sinful combination of tenderloin and brisket. “Since we use a lot of beef tenderloin at the restaurant, we always end up with some smaller pieces that we then use to grind up and add to the brisket for a very moist and tasty burger,” he says. 11506 Century Oaks Terrace, 834-4111, kentrathbun.com/jaspers

Wholly Cow Burgers: Heavenly Double with cheese, $9.75
The menu at Wholly Cow is celestial. American classics like the Philly cheesesteak and Texas toast–grilled cheese are tantalizing, but truth be told, most everyone comes for the almighty burgers. Owner Jeff Woodard believes the company’s commitment to local, quality ingredients is what has made the burgers an Austin favorite. “I get the beef locally from my uncle’s farm Rocky Hill Orchards in Fredericksburg,” he says. “The beef is grass-fed, hormone-free, chemical-free Belted Galloway cattle that have been humanely processed. You can really taste the difference.” The heavenly line of burgers includes the Wholly double with cheese, a 10-ounce, double-meat, double-cheese burger on a King’s Hawaiian sweet roll with local fixings like fresh green leaf lettuce, sweet Vidalia onions and organic tomatoes. 3010 S. Lamar Blvd., 394-8156; 619 Congress Ave., 425-0811; whollycowburgers.com

Dan’s Hamburgers: Jalapeño burger, $2.74 for small; $3.69 for medium; $4.39 for large
Once Dan and Fran were married and had a popular burger joint. Then they weren’t married anymore. Now there are two burger establishments named—you guessed it—Fran’s and Dan’s. (Fran kept the original Dan’s location on South Congress.) Both serve great burgers. Case in point at Dan’s is the jalapeño burger, a basic drive-in hamburger on a good ol’ Butter Krust bun with mustard and the classic veggies (lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and onions), jump-started with a piquant kick of pickled jalapeño peppers. Bonus: The skin-on fries and hand-breaded onion rings are equally delicious. Owner Katie Congdon (Dan’s and Fran’s daughter), who runs three Dan’s in Austin and one in Buda, notes that the beloved local chain turned 40 in January. It’s just getting better with age. 4308 Manchaca Road, 443-6131; 5602 N. Lamar blvd., 459-3239; 844 Airport Blvd., 385-2262; dans-hamburgers.com

Blue Star Cafeteria: Grilled garden burger, $9.25
It’s the details that set Blue Star Cafeteria’s take on a vegetarian burger apart, says manager Rebecca Rivera. The roasted garlic humus, homemade guacamole and field greens atop a MorningStar Garden patty make this a good gastronomic fit to the restaurant’s minimalist, light-filled space and curbside patio. “Austin being Austin, probably about one-third to a quarter of our sandwich sales are grilled garden burgers,” she says, adding that sometimes even burgers have to be virtuous. But save room for the decadent classic assortment of pies and cakes. Gastronomic prudence only gets you so far. 4800 Burnet Road, 454-7827, bluestarcafeteria.com

All Star Burger: Pacific Coast burger, $8
You’ve gotta love a place with this quote from Ronald Reagan on one wall: “Excellence does not begin in Washington. Excellence must begin in our homes and neighborhood schools.” And, suiting action to words, there is a blackboard touting All Star’s local purveyors of meat and produce on the other. The Pacific Coast, one of a dozen signature burgers at this relatively new family-owned shop in the Hill Country Galleria, comes stuffed with Monterey Jack and topped with avocado and sprouts. The beef for all of All Star’s patties is called “Never/Ever,” meaning it contains no growth hormones or antibiotics. The inspiration for the Pacific Coast burger came from owner Shane Street’s wife, who was raised on the West Coast. Reagan, Hollywood actor and California governor that he was, would have approved. 12921 Hill Country Blvd., Ste. 105, 263-7300, allstarburger.com

Dog & Duck Pub: Artichoke pesto burger, $9
It’s far from certain that any hamburger—especially one topped with artichoke pesto—should qualify as classic “pub grub,” especially at an Anglo-centric hotbed like the Dog & Duck. But there it is, alongside a sweet pineapple-mango burger and a black bean veggie burger. Rue Brittania? Scotch eggs, shepherd’s pie and bangers and mash are still part of the menu mix, but the burgers go down just fine. As for the artichoke pesto burger, it’s damned tasty, with a homemade pesto adding a welcome layer of complexity to the spiced burger and the potato bun. Smoked Gouda and caramelized onions help round out the package. Add a pint from one of the about two-dozen draughts on tap and maybe some cheese fries and consider the night well launched. 406 W. 17th St., 479-0598, dogandduckpub.com